At long last, the day is here, and we didn’t even have to wait until 2016! After a unique release strategy that demanded a, and despite the fear of many that we wouldn’t be able to hear the LP until next year (the originally scheduled release date was May 16, 2016), Jay Rock’s highly anticipated sophomore album 90059 is finally in our headphones. It’s been over four years since Rock’s first - and most recent - studio album. Remember, Follow Me Home was released long before Kendrick and TDE made their way in to the upper echelon of rap stardom. The debut was released only weeks after K-Dot’s acclaimed Section.80 and at a time when Jay Rock was juggling affiliation to both TDE and Strange Music. A commercial disappointment, the album did manage generally positive reviews, but I view it more as the most forgettable release in the TDE discography. The music was simply too formulaic, ultra-conventional West Coast gangster rap made worse by its uninspired production and daunting runtime. Jay Rock 90059 Full Album Download![]() Jay Rock New AlbumHalf the album sounded more like one long, drawn-out track. There were high points, however few and far between, such as the Black Hippy features, “Life’s A Gamble” or even “All My Life,” which made listeners wonder why Rock didn’t venture outside his comfort zone more often. My problem with Jay Rock is that his aggressive street demeanor and largely conventional style, which works well to offset the eccentric tendencies of Kendrick, Q and Soulo, especially on Black Hippy posse cuts, lacks some of the uniqueness and versatility that fuels the popularity of his label mates. This leads to him sounding more one dimensional over the duration of an entire project. My hope is that 90059 is the turning point for Jay Rock as an artist. He’s an underrated lyricist with an admirably gruff voice, who would do well to follow the lead of the other Black Hippies and start pushing the boundaries of his sound. I need more “Get On Your Shit” and less “Elbows.” I’ve, and it’s time for a 1 Listen album review, so let’s rock (pun intended).
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